Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-04-07


between the parties, but he has decided that
one of the inyestig ators shall be republican.
He will try to get at least one man specially
qualified for investigating railroad accounts
upon this commission, and he intends to
have che man we'll known to the country at
large as guarantee OF the falthfulness and
impartiality of the work. As this commits
sion is 10 report to congress next December
ii can not be appointed and get to work too
soon, for there is an immense amount OF
work 10 be done. The appointments being
temporary and having no great amount of
honor attached to them, there is some
difficulty IN getting the men the president
wants, although the pay is $3.50 Il month.
J. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska, has been
mentioned AS probable appolntee
SHADY LAND CLAIMS.
The commissioner of the general land
office has approved and sent to the secretary
OF the interior for transmission TO congress
reports from the surveyor general of New
Mexico in private land claims as follows:
The Sierra Mosea claim for 1lJ.200 acres.
He recommends this claim for rejection on
the grounds that the evidence is not sufficient
10 make out a case.
The Alemeda (Spanish) claim for l G,274
acres. The surveyor general saws that the
evidence in this case fails to show that the
grantee ever entered into the actual posses
sion of the land or complied with other
conditions OF title required by the royal laws
of Spain. the claim Is recommended Tor
rejection.
The Arroyo de San Lorenzo claim for 13S-
1879 acres was also recommended forrejecton
for similar reasons.
The San Clements claim for s7,413 acres
and the MueStra Sonora del PilaS claim for
%, AIS acres were recommended for rejection
on the ground that no evidence OF any right
OF title IN the claimants TO the tracts described
has been produced.
SEISMIC PHENOMENA
Capt. Clarence L. Dutton, chief of the
bureau Of volcanic geology OF the geological
survey viii read paper at the next meet
ing of the National academy which takes
place the third week in April embOdying
the results of the study Of ain immense mass
of data upon the Charleston earthquake
lie does not purpose going beyond weh-
proved facts as to the nature, origin, and I'M
luence of seismic phenomena, but he be
lieyes that the material in hand, when fully
worked up, Will add much to the mass OF
human knowledge regarding to the rate of
motion of earth waves and kindred points OF
scientific interest, and that 1t Will be eSpecia-
ly valuable in suggestions for the observation
ana study OF future phenomena. The advance
made latterly in respect to q knowledge OF
earthquake phenomena may be illustrated
by a single point. The recorded rate OF
motion OF earthquakes OF history varies from
300 To 300 meters per second The data upon
that its carth-WaYeS Travelled between 400O
and 5000 meters per second, while French
journals mt hand containing observations
upon the Riviera shocks gave rates almost
as high. Its not to be supposed that modern
earthquakes are more energetic than their
predecessors, but 1t is certain that moden
methods and opportunities give safer results.
A NATIONAL GvN FOUNDRY.
Secretary Whitney is considering the plans
limit tod fllfah atre
tain the amount of plant required to equip
the Washington maynard as an ordnance
foundry. lie has been in consultation WIN
ordnance officers, and 1t is probable that the
plans ultimately decided upon viii De
made public in a short time. While
the report OF the board viii torn the basis of
the scheme of reconstruction Of the yard, yet
aconsiderable reduction VIII be made IN the
expenditure proposed by il. mainly in the
direction of utilizing many of the buildings
now standing, instead Of tearing them down
and building new ones, as recommended by
the board.
As soon as the plans are decided upon work
Will be begun on the machinery and plant.
Very few of the large tools, such as lathes
ana steam hammers necessary for the
finishing OF heavy ordnance can be procured
by purchase in this country SO that it viii be
necessary for the new foundry to make most
OF its tools II believed that two wears
time Wili be nCcess1Ty for the completion of
the plant large enough 10 turn out the heavy
callberS OF steel ordnance, but meanwhile
the foundry viii be able to handle material
Tor guns MT exceeding SIX inches in CALDER.
Every effort will be made to have the plant
completed IN time TO undertake. the making
Of the heavier pieces when the deliveries of
steel begin under The new proposals.
IN FAyoR OF THE SETTLERS
Commissioner Sparks has given decision
which is OF special Importance to settlers
on public lands and against the Northern
Pacific and the 81. Paul, Minneapolis Il
Manitoba and ST. Vincent Extension Rail-
way Companies. According to the state
mcnt made to the Land-Otlice, in 1870 John
ID. kOSboth received a grant of land under
the homestead laws, at Fergus Falls. Mimi,
and built TWO houses and broke two acres
of ground Subsequently lie returned to
Syracuse, y. y. where he died in the sum
mer of 1872. Afterward this tract of land
was claimed by the Northern Pacific Rail-
road Company claim being set mp that it
had been abandoned By KO,both ami should
revert to the company june TO- 1884 knud
LevOrsen applied To enter the same piece of
ground and wanted it excepted from the
land given the railroad company. TITS APP
pliration was refused by the Register Of the
Land-Dflice who, after hearing evidence on
both SIDES, approved the course of the rail-
road company. An appeal was taken and
Sparks reversed the X 'gister's action. The
Commissioner holds that the fact of Kos
both not complying with the requirements
of the Presumption law in respect 10 resi-
dence upon the land was not a factor in the
case, and neither of the railroad companies
can profit by it. IL this decision is sustain
ed by the Secretary of the Interior will be
OF much advantage to settlers along the
Northern Pacific
LEGISLATIVE STATISTICS.
The very great Importance of taking
private legislation ont OF congress SO that
congress can get TIM for the public bills is
shown in statistical statement of the work
of the forty-nlnth congress which Speaker
Carlisle has just had prepared. In the late
congress II ,260 house bills, 266 house joint
resolutions, 3, s. senate bills, and lis senate
joint resolutions were introduced. This
makes a grand total of 1902 against II, 243
in the fortY-eignth congress. In the late con-
gress the house passed ], 3T2 house bills and
81 house joint resolutions, a total of 1,429,
the senate passed s9S senate bills and 30
senate JOINT resolutions, total of OPS, or q
80 FOR both houses. The senate passed l.
u4fl lpuGq biltg and IN hpuup mint reeaIttfiptas